Keeping Her Memory
by Faith's melody
Summary: Danny was told at 17 by Sam that the cemetery held five generations of Mansons. He just didn't know he would be back to the same cemetery so soon.


**It's not my best grammar-wise, but I wrote the poem myself! I'm no poet so that's quite an accomplishment.**

**Disclaimer: Anything that you see that seems familiar in the show Danny Phantom is owned by Butch Hartman. In case you are wondering, I'm not Butch Hartman.**

Keeping Her Memory

Danny looked up as the billowing clouds went under the sun again. He was feeling a little uncomfortable in the large cemetery a few miles outside of town. He'd found himself avoiding cemeteries ever since the accident three years ago. But Sam had asked him to come with her today and he had been happy to comply.

Sam was a few feet ahead of him, staring down at the gravestone of her grandmother who had died a few weeks ago. Sam had taken her grandmother's death with dignity, but Danny knew how much she had liked her grandmother. He'd tried comforting her and he knew that Sam had appreciated it, but Sam's smile had become increasingly rare and he missed it.

Danny moved hesitantly next to Sam. He didn't want to intrude on anything. He glanced down at the gravestone.

Katharine Simonton Manson

1916-2007

"Are you okay," Danny finally asked.

"I'm fine. I just-Thank you for driving me out here." Sam looked up at him and Danny gave her a smile.

"No problem." A silence fell again as she faced the gravestone again. Finally, he broke it. "Simonton?"

"It's her maiden name. She does-didn't have a middle name and when a woman gets married then the maiden name becomes the middle name if they don't already have one. My grandmother asked when I was born that I not have a middle name either." She moved her head to look around at the cemetery. "A long time ago, someone in my family that owned a large farm donated some of his land to a church that, I believe, is behind that hill over there. He gave to them with the only condition being that everyone in his family be buried here. There are five generations of Mansons and other branches of my family here. I'll probably be buried here, too."

"Not for a long time," Danny assured her as he wrapped an arm around her.

Sam gave him a smile. "Right. Hopefully, at least."

Danny opened his mouth to state that she was going to live for a long time and that he would protect her but Sam interjected. "I know," she rolled her eyes. "You're the hero and will protect me."

"Right." Danny had hoped this would at least cheer her up a little, but Sam suddenly stiffened a faraway look of fear in her eyes.

"Sam? What's wrong, Sam."

She turned her head away, embarrassed. "Nothing, Danny. I…I just miss her, that's all."

That statement didn't exactly coincide with the look of fear he had seen on her face, but Danny let it go. "I know. I'm really sorry. I didn't really know her that well."

She still wasn't looking at him. "I think I'm done, Danny. Thank you so much for this, but I don't feel comfortable here at the cemetery anymore."

Danny sighed. He had to agree with the last part, though. "Okay, Sam."

The two headed back to the car. Sam quickly started conversation on a lighter topic, leaving Danny to wonder to himself what had gotten Sam so scared.

A canopy had been set up as shade for the people that were now walking through the cemetery on that hot May day. A few chairs rested under the canopy for those that had been asked to speak a few words at the memorial service that would be held in a few minutes. Sitting in one of these chairs, 28-year old Daniel Fenton waited, his eyes downcast, as others talked while the last few reached the cemetery in the separate cars they had taken. He cocked his head, only slightly, to read the grave marker close by.

Samantha Manson Fenton

1990-2017

His chest constricted and he swallowed thickly. Sam had died in June. It had almost been a year since her death and he would be surprised if any of his grief had dissipated. Knowing Sam, loving Sam, and losing her was much worse than all the memories he still had of never knowing her. He'd spent the year in seclusion. He hadn't felt ready to talk to anyone about it. Jazz had tried to talk it out, but that had been expected and Danny had found ways to avoid the subject when they did occasionally talk. It had been a bit of a surprise when Jazz had finally asked if he would speak at the memorial service. He still wasn't really ready to talk about this, but he had realized that secluding himself from his family was not the best way to mourn.

"Danny?" Danny could understand someone not recognizing him. His grief had probably aged his features over twenty years and he hadn't been taking care of himself as best as he could. He sat up in his chair to face the person.

"It's me, Tuck."

"Oh, um, hi," Tucker gave a feeble laugh. "You can step out in sunlight them, can you?"

Danny gave a half-smile at Tucker's attempt to lighten the mood. "I'm sorry I haven't been around. It wasn't exactly the best way to take Sam's death. Jazz is having you speak, too?"

Tucker nodded. He glanced down at the grave marker. "Manson was her middle name, too?"

"She didn't have a middle name." Danny's mind went back in time to when Sam had visited her grandmother's grave here. "It became her middle name after we got married."

"Oh." He could tell Tucker didn't understand and was glad he didn't question further.

Other people were sitting down now and Danny glanced up as Jazz cleared her throat. She thanked everyone for coming and laid out the service's program. She then said a few words of her own about Sam.

Danny listened closely to all the sentiments given by everyone. Songs and scriptures were given also. Almost everything that was said was happy. Only a few times was it every mentioned that Sam was dead. It was almost like they had forgotten the original injustice that Sam had been torn away from them in the first place! And then Danny realized what was causing the smiles as Tucker stood up to speak. They weren't happy because she was dead, they were happy because she had lived.

"For those who don't know me," Tucker started. "My name is Tucker Foley. Sam was one of my best friends. It wasn't the easiest friendship. Sam and I didn't see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. I think I even remember our first argument. We were eight. Sam just came up to me and Danny one day and told us-along with everyone else-that she could fly. Everyone else had told her that she couldn't and that it was probably just a dream. I was no exception. I told her people couldn't fly."-Tucker locked eyes with Danny who gave an ironic smile-"We were basically at odds about a lot of things ever since."

Tucker's voice grew somber as he looked down at Sam's grave. "I can't say for certain now that Sam couldn't fly when she was eight, but I do know that Sam can fly now. I know she isn't here with us, but I don't think she regretted anything she did while she was alive. And I know she's happy now, so the only thing I think we can regret about Sam's death is that she's having fun without us."

Danny glanced at Tucker as he sat down. He had come to terms with the fact that he needed to go on with life and all that, but…could he actually be happy? He couldn't picture life with out her, as clichéd as that sounded.

He was the last one to speak about Sam. He tried not to look at his surroundings as he stood up. He was still very uncomfortable in cemeteries. He instead tried to focus on all of Sam's friends and family that had come today.

"I…knew Sam since we were in kindergarten. We were best friends for years before I realized finally that I was attracted to her, loved her. Knowing her for so long is probably one of the reasons I've found it so hard to spend a year without her. I'm sorry to those that I ignored. I think I forgot somewhat that you missed her, too. I…I wanted to share something with you. A few weeks ago, I was going through some of her stuff and found this. It was written by Sam and I don't think she let anyone see it."

If You Go First

If you go first

I hope I told you

How special I felt

In you arms

Every sunny day

Will be taken in stride

For all your pictures will

Remind me why it shines

Your courage will help me

to stay strong in your absence

And every place you stepped

Will now be hallowed ground

The sudden epiphany that hit Danny was so powerful and so shocking that for a second he forgot where he was. Sam had expected this. She had written this because she thought that one day he would leave her. The look of fear Danny had seen in this cemetery made sense now. He had seen her give him similar glances when she thought he wasn't looking, but had never mentioned it before. But…but she was afraid that he would get hurt and die because he was a hero. She had written this poem to mentally prepare herself. Danny had brought this to make some point about Sam, but now he couldn't remember it at all. He looked back down to the piece of paper, ready to read the last stanza.

I'll learn to smile

And I'll learn to laugh

For I will remember the blessing

You were to me

Danny slowly folded the poem back up and placed it in his pocket. "I've been so caught up in the idea that Sam is gone that I didn't realize the blessing it was that I had her in the first place. Sam understood that dwelling on my death wouldn't help and that the person's life was important. Thank you all for the happy memories and encouraging words that were shared."

It was a little abrupt, but no one said anything as Danny sat down. People started talking or heading back towards their cars. Tucker stared at Danny who had brought out the poem to read it again. He was stopped, however, when Jazz came to hug him.

"You figured it out," she whispered. The way she said it made Danby suspicious.

"Figured what out?"

"Oh…all of it."

"You knew Sam was afraid I was going to die?"

"It wasn't that hard to figure out." Tucker whispered.

"You knew, too? Why didn't you tell me?"

"She wanted you to be happy," Jazz explained. "She still wants you to be happy too, Danny. Sam didn't want you to worry about her when there were other things to focus on. She knew you were being careful, but, you know Sam, she expects the worst sometimes."

"Okay,' Danny conceded. He glanced down at the poem again. "I'm sorry for my negative attitude and for being a hermit."

You just needed to realize what Sam did," Jazz remarked. "I'm glad you found that poem."

"Who knows when you would have gotten a clue if it hadn't have been for that," Tucker piped up.

Danny gave a smile and the trio stood up and headed towards their cars. Danny turned around quickly to gaze at Sam's marker one more time. "I won't forget, Sam," he whispered. And then, recalling something, Danny looked around. The only ones that were looking at him were Jazz and Tucker, who had gotten halfway to the cars before realizing he wasn't with them. He quickly transformed and turned invisible as he took to the air. He spread his arms wide, embracing the sky as he flipped and twirled through it. Imagining Sam flying with him as he relived the memories of happier times.

**Dedicated to my Grandmother, who will be dead for a year this August and whom we had a similar memorial service for last May.**


End file.
